The invention relates generally to bicycles and to drive transmissions for bicycles. The invention also relates generally to drive transmissions and to couplings.
The invention disclosed herein is designed to eliminate the use of a deraileur on bicycles including the three speed hubs currently in use. In addition, the invention disclosed herein is designed to eliminate the chain tensioner also presently in use on bicycles as the chain length contemplated by the invention is not substantially varied. It is also contemplated by the invention to eliminate the rear sprocket cluster on multi-speed bikes and to eliminate the free wheeling mechanism incorporated in the rear hub of most bicycles currently in use. Still further, the invention is designed to afford shifting between high and low gear under load or while at rest and to provide both a manual and an automatic mode for shifting. Still further, the invention disclosed herein is intended to provide an infinitely variable speed ratio with a high to low speed range comparable to those presently available on current ten speed bicycles.